the hand of god?
part 5

Not only did Celtic need football players for the infant Club, but they also needed players that would make an immediate impact. After all, the 'Penny Dinner' tables required continual replenishing- there was no respite from starvation - and the Irish Catholic community in Glasgow had to have their collective hearts and minds captured by the new club if this venture was to be as profound as Brother Walfrid and his philanthropic colleagues envisaged.

Once again, the benevolent ensemble produced a masterstroke; well, two actually - Tom Maley and James Kelly. John Glass is largely attributed with this audacious move in the 'transfer market' of the day. The silver-tongued persuasiveness of the Irishman, Glass, delivered both players to Celtic and, thereby, an immediate and undeniable attraction not only of popular support for Celtic, but also to other football players to similarly join the Club.

Kelly and Maley were the Irish Catholic 'superstar' footballers of the day. Indeed, Kelly was, arguably, the Henrik Larsson of the time. The 'Bhoy' from Renton already had a Scottish Cup Winners' medal and was hotly predicted to become an Edinburgh Hibernian player. That he did not would irk the established club a great deal. Relationship soured!

Mind you, Glass had plenty of ammunition to work with, aside from his own charisma, leadership qualities, the respect of the community and political popularity. Celtic had already captured the imagination of Glasgow's Irish Catholics. There was the commendable aim of feeding the poor children. The Club had the support of the Church and, of course, there was also the reverence and esteem with which Brother Walfrid was held.

And, naturally enough, there was also the minor incentive for 'amateur' football players of Celtic having money to spend. The offer of 'jobs' (in name only) in the License Trade and the prospect of 'expenses' would be a massive inducement.

The tale of the securing of Tom Maley's services for Celtic is intriguing, to say the least, because there was to be an additional benefit for the Club, the importance of which could hardly have been surmised. Not long after the meeting of constitution, in December 1887, a Celtic delegation of Brother Walfrid, John Glass and Pat Welsh visited the Cathcart home of Thomas Maley - the now retired Sergeant with whom Welsh had savoured one of life's major turning points, some 20 years previously. The objective was to secure the football services of Thomas Maley's son, the renowned Tom Maley, who had played for Partick Thistle, Hibernian and was now with Third Lanark. As luck would have it Tom was out that evening, courting his wife-to-be. Instead, the Celtic trio enjoyed the hospitality of Thomas Maley and his wife, but also had the opportunity to meet the trainee accountant, Willie Maley, Thomas' third son. Willie was an athlete, an occasional cyclist and an occasional footballer. However, Willie must have impressed the visitors with his respectful attention, his obvious intelligence, his athletic physique and his domestic willingness to assist his mother in providing for their guests. So much so, in fact, that upon leaving the home of Thomas Maley and having had his father's assurances that Tom Maley would join Celtic, Brother Walfrid turned to Willie Maley and said: 'Why don't you come along as well?'

Willie Maley would become known as 'Mr Celtic', as a result of his sensational and vitally important contributions to the club over the next fifty years. Indeed, it is a quote attributable to Willie Maley that best summarises what playing for Celtic is all about. It is so profound, you would be forgiven for thinking it came from the mouth of Jock Stein: 'It's an honour and a privilege to wear those green and white jerseys. These people out there (indicating the crowd) have given a lot to see you wearing those stripes (Celtic were wearing green and white vertical stripes at this time, The Hoops not appearing until 1903). What are you going to give back to them?'

The Celts were here!

For It's A Grand Old Team To Play For!

On May 28th 1888, it happened - Celtic took to the field of football at the newly built Celtic Park. An impressive number of people ventured out on a Monday evening - a crowd of 2,000 - to see The Celts, as a reportedly all-Catholic team faced a Rangers XI.

It must be recorded that Rangers were represented by their 'Swifts', or reserve side, but nevertheless it was a poignant and historic moment and, as is suitably Celtic, the Celts triumphed 5-2, with Neil McCallum scoring the Club's first ever goal - a header. That Celtic team of such historical, cultural and football importance was: M. Dolan (Drumpellier), E. Pearson (Carfin Shamrock) and J. McLaughlin (Govan Whitfield); W. Maley (Cathcart), J. Kelly (Renton) and P. Murray (Cambuslang Hibs); N. McCallum (Renton) and T. Maley (Cathcart); J. Madden (Dumbarton), M. Dunbar (Edinburgh Hibernian) and H. Gorevin (Govan Whitfield).

Also for the record, it must be recorded that Brother Walfrid's eleven were kitted out in a strip that had been gifted by Bridgeton outfitters, Penman Brothers, and consisted of a white shirt with green collar and a Celtic Cross on the breast

After the match, Celtic players and officials hosted the customary 'social' at St Mary's Hall, providing supper and a concert for their visitors, Rangers. Indeed, Rangers were so impressed with the occasion that they gave a vote of thanks to the new Club, wished them well and hoped that such contests between the teams would become regular events.

Although the Scottish League did not yet exist, Celtic enjoyed a full and eventful programme of fixtures in their inaugural season, having registered with the SFA on August 21st 1888. In all, Celtic played 56 matches, won 42, lost 11 and drew 3. Indeed, the juvenile Celtic FC even had the audacity to reach the Scottish Cup Final in that, its first season, losing to Third Lanark, but only after a replay. The Club also won its very first trophy, the North Eastern Cup.

Celtic had arrived, and how! In his book, 'Celtic - A Century With Honour', Brian Wilson wrote: 'Within the space of nineteen months, Celtic had not only been brought into existence but had also established themselves as a major power in Scottish football. They had won respect from further afield, both for their playing prowess and for the efficiency of their management. They had equipped themselves with a fine stadium and proven their crowd -pulling power. Never had a Club enjoyed such an auspicious start and, for good measure, they were able to donate £421, 19 shillings and 6 pence to charity, in addition to raising several hundred pounds by playing invitation games and distributing match tickets for sale by the local conferences of the St Vincent de Paul Society. That section of Scottish society which did not much fancy the idea of a football club that was largely Irish in identity and successful on the playing field would, for a century to come, have to learn to live with that reality.'

Brother Walfrid could allow himself a most satisfied smile, for his creation was already a thing of rare beauty, success, importance and benevolence.

The journey had, most definitely, begun.

 

References: 'Willie Maley - The Man Who Made Celtic' by David W. Potter; 'Dreams And Songs To Sing' by Tom Campbell and Pat Woods; 'Celtic - A Century With Honour' by Brain Wilson and 'The Glory And The Dream' by Tom Campbell and Pat Woods.